This invention relates generally to measuring dispensers for flowable materials, and more particularly to such dispensers for household use in dispensing materials in pulverulent, granular or flaked form. A principal object is to provide a dispenser of simple, easily cleanable construction that is adapted to dispense any one of several discrete volumetric quantities of the material. For example, these quantities may be one-fourth, one-third, one-half and one full cup.
Another object is to provide a dispenser that may be operated by a single hand with a minimum number of separate movements.
Measuring dispensers previously in use have imperfectly satisfied the foregoing objects for a variety of reasons. In many cases the construction is complex, making it expensive to manufacture and inconvenient to clean periodically. This is of particular concern when the dispenser is used for food products that may spoil or affect the accuracy of measurement if retained in corners, crevices or recesses in the dispenser. Also, many dispensers require several manual operations, or require use of both hands, which may be an inconvenience. For example, it may be desired to measure out a quantity of a cooking ingredient while one hand is holding a food vessel, a food or a food ingredient, or while one hand is coated or wetted with a food ingredient.
This invention provides a dispenser of simplified form, readily and inexpensively manufactured of molded parts. The structure may be easily disassembled for cleaning. The basic parts comprise a hopper, a receptacle preferably in the form of a drawer slidable from a receiving position under the hopper, and an elongate barrel member rotatable in alternate directions for first receiving predetermined measured discrete quantities of the material from the hopper and then transferring these quantities to the receptacle.